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“What we've done is changed the perception of how we're looked at,” Kennan said. “We've gone from not being well known at all to being a factor in recruiting.”

The Cardinals landed players from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Houston, Austin and California. They hit it big with transfers, with the biggest being 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker Myke Tavarres, who played for the Arkansas Razorbacks last season.

Haltom City Birdville tailback Xavier Turner rushed for 6,000 yards and 88 touchdowns, including 2,801 yards and 48 TDs last season. Dorland Fields, from Sweeny, rushed for 2,179 yards and 33 TDs. Turner is rated as a three-star prospect.

“We felt like we needed some big, tough, strong offensive linemen, some difference-makers on the defensive line, and we wanted to improve our overall speed and athleticism, which we were able to do,” Kennan said. “We needed some guys to come in and help.”

UIW was 6-5 in 2013 and won three of its final four games.

tthomas@express-news.net

More Information

Cardinals glance

Analysis: Incarnate Word wanted to add “big, physical linemen” and it accomplished that goal. Nine of the 23 recruits were linemen, with seven weighing near or more than 300 pounds.

Top prospect: Myke Tavarres, LB — The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder was ranked the No. 7 JUCO linebacker by 247Sports.com. He played last season at Arkansas.

Sleeper: Xavier Turner, RB, Haltom City Birdville — Rushed for 6,000 yards and 88 touchdowns in high school. He had 2,801 yards and 48 TDs in 2013, with 395 yards in a playoff game.